New track mixed by drummer- not happy! - Page 2

TheInsane · #21 04-09-2008, 12:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by steve66

Your bass is fine in the mix. you probably have a better drummer

Yeah, I can be heard alright in the old recordings (Im not to happy about my performance on some of the tracks though) but our new cd takes it to another level for me personally. But then again I have been experimenting with distortion and such and the bass really cuts through but without taking anything from the guitars. So in the end Im happy I really told out guitarist what I wanted from the mix because it sounds awesome. The cd should be out in the summer or so (with a couple of tracks up on the website probably).

Foxworthy925 · #22 04-09-2008, 05:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fleabee

Maybe its my computer speakers but I dont hear ANY bass at all. I think before you start a band it should be discussed how things will be mixed when recording. Naturally everyone thinks their craft should stand out but there at least has to be some balance.

Yeah, definitely. But this band has been around for ages. I just joined at Christmas, because I knew they were in need of a bassist and I wanted to try a hand in the music I like. I didn't even know we were that close to recording. I've still got to straighten this out...

Foxworthy925 · #23 04-09-2008, 08:11 PM

I got to go chill with our drummer for an hour and a half and discuss all this with him. I showed him the demystifying dm thread, and told him my point of view, and all the mixing advice I've gotten here. I'm ecstatic- he actually was just as cooperative and understanding as I could have asked for. Based on these new mentalities, we both got to work with mixing everything better, this time with my input. He had work at 6:30 so we had to stop before everything was near finished, but all the changes we did so far sound just soooooo much better. We both talked alot and got on the same page for everything, so I feel pretty comfortable now with letting him finish of those tweaks that we started on. After work, he'll work more on the mixes, and then burn me a cd for tomorrow so I can hear the differences. I'm ****ing stoked. Now that we're all on the same page, I think this'll turn out way way better.

TheInsane · #24 04-09-2008, 10:21 PM

That sounds awesome. Im glad you have a good enough relationship for him to be able to take it. Hope things tur out great.

bassmodder · #25 04-09-2008, 10:39 PM

Considerate communication is the key. Even if it sucks, don't attack him. He was trying his best, so work together and come up with a final product that everyone is happy.

Personally, I like to look out for the bass, let the others mix their own, then come up with a final. Seems to work ok.

ga_edwards · #26 04-10-2008, 10:33 AM

It may not apply to your genre, but everytime I've done mixing, heck, even when we soundcheck or set up at rehearsals, we follow a system. Start with the fundementals, then the fillers.

Drums start first, this is the hardest thing to eq, especially live if you're not miking up.

Next is bass, eq'd flat to start with then tweaked to fit with the drums. Kick drums can actually have a lot of top end and little low end if the bass guitar can fill that area. if the bass needs compression, add it now.

Next is the lead vocal/instrument. Again, eq's to fit in available space.

Then you can add the filler instruments, such as guitars and keyboards, and lastly backing vocals. the guitars and keys in our band have very little low end, this area is already taken up with bass and kick and a low toms. Each guitar is also voiced differently in the mid range so they can both be clearly defined.
The backing vocals take up a very small frequency range, somwhere in the up mids, they don't need a lot of body, it's just filler sound.

This process works well for live, but like I say, I've had great success in the past when I've been creating backing tracks and other things. It's not hard and fast and the method may not apply to you genre exactly, but some of it might.

To summarize, start off with the fundementals of the track, the bits that hold the track together. Each instrument (including each drum) needs it's own space to breathe. Think about the way an orchestra or choir works, you have bass, baritone, alto, trebles, all in defined areas of the frequency spectrum, working togther.

often think that if people thought of guitars as 'treble's' and bass as 'bass', it may make mixing easier.

oh and a +1 on comparing to another similar genre album. Listen carefully to the tone and frequency space of each instrument.

**Josh Ryan** · #27 04-10-2008, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Foxworthy925

I got to go chill with our drummer for an hour and a half and discuss all this with him. I showed him the demystifying dm thread, and told him my point of view, and all the mixing advice I've gotten here. I'm ecstatic- he actually was just as cooperative and understanding as I could have asked for. Based on these new mentalities, we both got to work with mixing everything better, this time with my input. He had work at 6:30 so we had to stop before everything was near finished, but all the changes we did so far sound just soooooo much better. We both talked alot and got on the same page for everything, so I feel pretty comfortable now with letting him finish of those tweaks that we started on. After work, he'll work more on the mixes, and then burn me a cd for tomorrow so I can hear the differences. I'm ****ing stoked. Now that we're all on the same page, I think this'll turn out way way better.

Congrats, it's cool that he didn't just get offended and shut off on you. I've seen insecure people do that, but it sounds like your drummer is a reasonable person.

smurfco · #28 04-10-2008, 02:09 PM

I haven't read through all the replies yet, but if my drummer changed my recorded tone, and then refused to EQ it the way I wanted it because he felt the song needed "hella deep bass", he'd be taking a trip to the ER to get a drumstick or two removed.

Foxworthy925 · #29 04-10-2008, 10:08 PM

Ok, so The prophecy is still the old recording, but he did put up one new recording on our myspace. It's the one labeled "Gouge RERECORDED". It sounds alright, but there's still definitely some things that should be changed. I also think there should be a bit more compression on bass- there're a few little discrepancies with some parts (mostly the tapping parts) that's bugging me. I did that track all in one take without a metronome or tempo track, early in the morning because I was pissed and just wanted to get it over with. There're many errors, but OH WEll. I guess I can always do another take and rerecord my track. What do you all think?

Jimmyplaysabass · #30 04-10-2008, 10:13 PM

heres something to say:

"hey (drummers name) i appreciate all the work you put into mixing that, but i'll be honest, it sounds terrible, i think we should all sit down and work on it together until the blend suits all of us"

Baryonyx · #31 04-11-2008, 05:38 AM

Have a word with him about whats going on here. If you're not happy with the mix, you should raise your concerns. Of course though in metal you can't always expect to be heard in the chaos. If you want every nuance of your playing the be heard, join a fusion trio or something!

Masher88 · #32 04-12-2008, 06:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mesa

My very amateur opinion: way too much snare.

Yeah, what's with that snare drum? Not just it's volume, but it's tone. Weird....just weird. Like half the snare stringys on the bottom are broken off or something...then played in a cave with the microphone at the opening of the cave.... a thousand feet away.

I dig the rock, though...don't undersell yourselves with bad recordings...